California-based turf business West Coast Turf is introducing a new line of Ready Play Grass – natural grass sod grown on plastic for instant use.
“We have been growing sod on plastic for several years,” said West Coast Turf’s Arizona operations general manager, Jay Danek. “We are confident in the product we’ve developed over that time and wanted to bring Ready Play Grass to a bigger market. There is a need for a grass surface that can be used right away.”
“The reason its grown on plastic is for the strength of the plant itself,” Danek explains. “Similar to when you buy a plant at a nursery where the roots are bound in a ball since they can’t go through the plastic. It makes the strength of the sod three to four times of what a normal sod field is by becoming root-bound. The intertwining roots develop a tight mat of rhizomes to firm up the surface, giving it a study base of strength. It weighs about 18 pounds per square foot and can be grown up to 2 inches thick. After the sod is put down, it is not going anywhere. You can play on it instantly. Because we don’t cut the roots, there is no shock factor to the grass and it is able to start rooting immediately — although it doesn’t have to be rooted for use.”
“We start off with a sod product that has been through its growing cycle of anywhere from 8 to 12 months, and then another 6 to 15 months growing on the plastic. We grow it with sod strength and weight in mind so there is no movement. Our proprietary harvest technique allows for sharp and tight seams so the rolls mesh together perfectly,” Danek said.
Ready Play Grass is ideal for sports fields, golf course tees and driving ranges, and on top of artificial turf fields when a temporary natural grass field is required.
